Made For Each Other
by MizJoely
Summary: One of my few non-Picard & Crusher romances, this time featuring Geordi La Forge and the only acceptable candidate for a romance with him that the show produced. Enjoy!


**MADE FOR EACH OTHER**

"Geordi! Good news!"

Geordi LaForge turned to face Will Riker inquiringly. "What is it?"

Riker fell in step next to the chief engineer, a huge grin plastered across his face. "We found a new assistant for you," he announced, eyes sparkling.

"I've only been requesting one for about six months now," LaForge responded cautiously. Riker was acting way too jovial about this; there had to be a catch. "So what's the problem?"

Riker frowned. "Problem?"

LaForge nodded. "Problem. You know, why am I not going to like this person?"

Riker nodded understandingly. "You think there's some sort of catch."

"Yes sir," LaForge replied firmly. "No one is this cheerful about crew replacements, especially when it's outside of their own department. Engineering is definitely outside your department. So what's the catch?"

"No catch," Riker said, with a return of his earlier grin, although on a smaller scale. Geordi wasn't usually this negative about things. "At least, not a catch in the way you mean."

"Then how?" LaForge demanded in exasperation. He stopped walking and turned to face the first officer. "With all due respect, Commander, would you mind telling me what the hell is going on?"

"Your new assistant is a civilian consultant, a theoretical physicist who requested to work on a starship in order to acquire some practical experience. The _Enterprise_ was specifically requested. Since we had a vacancy, Captain Picard approved the assignment," Riker explained.

LaForge sighed and began walking once again, annoyance clear on his face. "The Captain didn't think to ask me for my opinion before just okaying everything?"

This time it was Riker who stopped walking, placing a hand on LaForge's shoulder to stop him as well. "Whoa, hold on a minute," he protested. "Starfleet already said it would be at least another six months before they could fill our request, if not longer. This transfer is strictly temporary; if it doesn't work out, then you're free to tell the Captain and go without until Starfleet can fill the billet. Besides," he added, "we didn't think you'd object to this person."

"Who is it?" LaForge asked, somewhat mollified by Will Riker's explanation but still feeling slightly resentful at having been left out of the final decision. It was certainly true that Starfleet had told him that he'd have to wait; anybody would probably be better than continuing to be understaffed. Especially now that Barclay had transferred to the science vessel _Grissom_. There were only so many times Data could be yanked off the Bridge to solve some minor engineering problem.

"Well, it's supposed to be a surprise," Riker answered. "But," he continued as LaForge opened his mouth to make a sarcastic response, "since she'll be coming aboard in about four hours, I guess I'd better tell you. It's Hannah Bates." He waited expectantly for Geordi's reaction.

A noncommittal "Ah" was the only reply the disappointed Commander Riker received. "Anyway," he continued, a bit nonplussed, "I thought you might want to welcome her aboard and all that."

"Of course," LaForge replied neutrally. "Four hours, you said?" Riker nodded, still radiating confusion. "All right, Commander. I'll be ready for her in four hours. If you'll excuse me, I have a few things to do before then." He hurried off before Riker could do more than nod.

LaForge's emotions were in turmoil. Half of him was thrilled that Hannah was coming back into his life once again, after so long an absence-monthly updates and communications notwithstanding-and the other half of him was terrified. While she was far away, it was safe; safe for them to maintain a professional relationship, safe for them to remain close colleagues without things getting too...personal.

Hannah Bates intrigued him the way no other woman ever had or, he suspected, ever would. She had caused those reactions in the Chief Engineer since the very first, when her home colony of genetically-engineered humans had been threatened with complete and utter destruction. He wasn't even really sure why; all he knew was, four hours was not nearly enough time for him to get used to the idea of seeing her once again on the _Enterprise_.

But then, he reflected as he entered the turbolift and ordered it to Main Engineering, there might _never_ be enough time for that.

His troubled expression remained hidden behind his VISOR as he returned to work.

Four hours later, LaForge was standing uncomfortably just inside the door to Transporter Room 2, waiting for Hannah Bates to beam aboard. Miles O'Brien noticed his friend's discomfort, but put it down to nerves. From what he remembered, the blonde physicist had made quite an impression on the _Enterprise's_ chief engineer the last time she'd been onboard.

She was making quite an impression once again, at least in O'Brien's judgement. LaForge's tension level went up even more as Hannah finally materialized. She stepped off the transporter pad, her eyes passing impatiently over O'Brien as they sought out LaForge. Those same eyes lit up as they reached him, and her smile was equally as brilliant as she walked toward the door. "Hi," she said softly, stopping just in front of the Chief Engineer.

"Hi." LaForge was smiling too, some of his initial tension gone, and O'Brien had the uncomfortable feeling that he was intruding on a private moment. However, if they wanted to make the most of their reunion-alone-they'd have to do it somewhere else. The transporter chief cleared his throat. Loudly.

"Welcome aboard," he said to Hannah as she and LaForge stopped grinning at each other like a couple of lovesick teenagers and turned to face him with equally-startled expressions on their faces. _Completely forgot I was here_, O'Brien thought with tolerant amusement.

"Thanks," Hannah said belatedly, then grinned back at Geordi as he hurriedly introduced his friend. "Are you the official welcoming committee?"

LaForge shrugged. "I guess so. Commander Riker just told me a little while ago that you were coming aboard as my new assistant, or I'd have done something a little more elaborate than just dashing over here as soon as I got off duty."

Hannah laughed and headed for the door. "Well, I told them I wanted to surprise you, so I guess I'll have to live with the consequences," she replied cheerfully as LaForge caught up with her. "Now. How about a quick tour of Engineering before you show me my new quarters? Hannah passed through the door in front of Geordi, both she and O'Brien missing the look of panic that briefly crossed the Chief Engineer's face.

"I hope you don't mind that I asked Captain Picard not to tell you I was coming," Hannah said as they walked into Engineering a few minutes later. She paused and looked around. It wasn't exactly as she remembered, but exactly as she expected. Her eyes were busy cataloging the detectable changes made since she'd last been onboard this ship and in this engine room. There were quite a few improvements and modifications that her fingers itched to explore. "I wanted it to be a surprise," she continued after a moment.

"That it was," LaForge muttered as he led her over to one of the computer niches. He looked over at her cautiously. "Why?" he asked bluntly, then mentally berated himself. Even in what was technically the late evening, there was always someone on duty. No one was near them now, but that still didn't make this the ideal place for a heart-to-heart with Hannah.

She shrugged. "Just because," she replied vaguely, bringing her eyes to meet his-or rather, to meet his VISOR. She smiled impishly, brushing at a strand of blonde hair that had managed to escape from her neat braid. "Travel always destroys my hair," she muttered, then grinned again. "I wanted to come back to the _Enterprise_," she said, finally answering his question. "I wanted to work with you again. Is that so awful?"

LaForge forced himself to relax a little and allowed a rueful smile to cross his lips. "Sorry if I made you feel defensive," he apologized with a grimace. "Sometimes the mouth runs ahead of the brain. I'm really glad you're here; I've only been requesting an assistant since Barclay transferred to the _Grissom_, and they keep putting us off. When Commander Riker told me I had at least a temporary assistant coming aboard today, I was relieved, but I was a little annoyed, too," he admitted. "You were a complete surprise. I am extremely curious to know how you managed to convince Captain Picard not to tell me you were coming back," he added, leaning against the console and cocking his head inquiringly.

"Trade secret," Hannah replied solemnly, then broke into another smile. "Isn't it enough that you've finally got the help you've been looking for? Now come on, show me my quarters and then take me to dinner, Chief," she added, pulling his arm with a laugh. "I need you to fill me in on all the new engineering advances you've made since I was here last."

LaForge allowed himself to be pulled along, but he could tell by the way she avoided his question that there was something about this transfer she wasn't telling him. With a mental shrug, he shelved the thought. Sooner or later she'd have to let him on it. Whatever "it" was.

During Hannah's first week onboard, LaForge came to two conclusions: First, that the two of them worked very well together, and second, that his feeling there was something she wasn't telling him was definitely true. It intrigued him at some times and frustrated him at others. What could she be hiding from him? She ignored all his subtle attempts to find out. He lost sleep wondering about it, found himself thinking about her almost constantly and watching her when she was too busy to notice his attention. He became moody and distracted, but at the same time extremely happy. He thought he was behaving in a perfectly normal manner in spite of these internal upheavals.

Everyone noticed. Rumors flew all around while LaForge remained blissfully ignorant, too wrapped up in his own confusion to notice everyone else's interest. At the end of the second week, he finally gave up trying to puzzle it out on his own, and decided it was time and past to confront Hannah. She couldn't ignore a direct question, and he wouldn't let her deflect his hints any longer.

His chance came two days later, when they were working alone in the auxiliary control room. The Chief Engineer took a deep breath; now was as good a time as any and he'd made sure no one would interrupt them. "Hannah," he said. She looked up from the control panel she was monitoring with an inquisitive expression on her face. "Do you mind if I ask you something?"

She shook her head and gave him her full attention. "What is it, Geordi?" she asked, alerted by his tone. He sounded serious.

He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "It might not even be any of my business," he began, only to hesitate once again.

"Then I definitely want to know what it is," Hannah responded teasingly. "What's the phrase? Spit it out!" A wider grin. "Commander Data has been teaching me, how did he put it, common colloquialisms and colorful metaphors that will allow my speech patterns to more easily be assimilated into that which is commonly found aboard a starship, or more specifically, aboard the U.S.S. _Enterprise_, NCC-1701D."

LaForge grinned nervously at Hannah's extremely-accurate duplication of Data's own peculiar speech patterns, then continued in a rush: "When I asked you why you specifically wanted to come onboard the _Enterprise_, you mentioned that you wanted to work on the _Enterprise_ with me again, but I get the feeling that's not the only reason. Am I right, or am I just imagining things?" _There. It was said._

Hannah regarded him steadily for a moment out of clear blue eyes. "It was partly for those reasons," she finally admitted, "and it was partly because I made a rather interesting discovery during this past year." She rose to her feet and walked over to him. "I love you." She stepped closer to LaForge, then suddenly leaned forward to plant a kiss on his startled lips.

LaForge broke the kiss as soon as his flustered mind began to function once again. So much for mystery-solving. "Hannah, I don't think this is a good idea," he said uncomfortably, taking her by the shoulders and pushing her gently but firmly away from him.

"I suppose you're right," she replied with an embarrassed grin. "That was a little impulsive of me. And perhaps a bit premature. Not to mention," she added as she glanced around the room, "somewhat indiscreet. I was waiting for the best time to talk to you, but you sort of cornered me before I could find the right moment-"

"No, I didn't mean here was a bad idea," LaForge blurted out. "I meant I think this is a bad idea." He brushed his lips with his fingertips, then moved his hand back down to his side.

"Because I said I love you?" Hannah asked quietly. Although her cheeks were red with a mixture of embarrassment and anger, she held her head proudly. "I'm sorry if I made a mistake about our relationship, but even if I was wrong about how you felt, I still needed to let you know about my feelings."

LaForge shook his head slowly as he turned around to fiddle with the nearest control panel. "But are you sure that's how you really feel?" He turned back to face her. "Hannah, I was one of the first people from outside your world that you ever met and worked with, who wasn't genetically engineered to be...perfect." His lips twisted in a bitter grimace as he reached up with one hand to touch the edge of his VISOR. "Are you really certain that you love me, Geordi LaForge? Or do you just love the idea of me, the fact that someone like me can exist? The fact that I'm...different?"

The question hung in the air between them until Hannah broke the tense silence by slapping LaForge across the face. Hard. She backed up one step, then two, her eyes accusing, until she suddenly whirled and raced out of the room, without saying another word.

And without answering LaForge's question.

He slammed a fist into the console after the doors whispered shut behind her, then winced and rubbed his hand as the computer chided him about damaging delicate equipment. He was just glad there was no one else around to see what had done. Not to mention what Hannah had just done; he reached up with hesitant fingers to touch the still-stinging place on his cheek where she'd struck him. Yes, he was definitely glad there were no witnesses to that little bit of unpleasantness.

He was glad that no one was there to ask him questions he couldn't answer. Because, he had also made an interesting discovery; he was in love with Hannah Bates. He couldn't tell her, not now, not after what he'd just accused her of.

Not until he was absolutely sure about how she really felt.

"Geordi, something is bothering you."

"Hmm?" LaForge turned his attention back to Data. They were seated with Miles O'Brien at the bar in Ten-Forward, Data sitting as stiffly as he always did, O'Brien with one elbow leaning casually on the bar, LaForge hunched over his drink in a manner that his mother would most definitely _not_ have approved of.

"I noted that something is bothering you," Data repeated patiently.

"Yeah, what is it?" O'Brien interjected. The three of them had gotten together in Ten-Forward for a drink at the end of what had turned out to be a very busy day. And LaForge was acting extremely distracted, to say the least. He'd hardly even touched his drink, merely toyed with the stirrer as he gazed down at the bar broodingly.

LaForge shrugged. "Look guys, I don't really want to talk about it," he said, reaching up to rub his cheek unconsciously. It had stopped stinging hours ago, except in his memory. It would ache there, he suspected, for a long time. A very long time.

Data and O'Brien were both facing him now. "Perhaps you will feel better if you discuss it with us," Data offered.

O'Brien nodded eagerly. "Right. Out with it. Does it have anything to do with that new assistant of yours?" he asked slyly. LaForge had been acting extremely odd ever since Hannah Bates came on board two weeks ago, up one minute, down the next, and the Transporter Chief had the feeling he knew what the problem was. But something unpleasant must have happened, to cause LaForge to spend an evening responding to questions in grunts and monosyllables worthy of Worf.

LaForge sighed and glanced over at his two friends. In spite of O'Brien' joking tone, they really were concerned about him. Even Data was looking at him attentively, waiting for some kind of answer. "In a way," LaForge finally, reluctantly, answered. "We sort of had an argument this morning."

"About what?" Data asked curiously, tilting his head to the side in a manner that never failed to remind his human friends of a large, curious robin.

LaForge glanced around the bar. "Let's go sit over there," he suggested, indicating a table off to one side. "It's a little more private." He rose and the others followed, bringing their drinks as well. Data was drinking purely out of a desire to blend in; a futile desire, LaForge thought with tolerant amusement, but endearing nonetheless.

Once they were settled, two pairs of eyes turned on LaForge inquisitively. He sighed, wondering where to begin. "I think I'm in love with Hannah; I think I fell when we first met," he confessed bluntly. No sense in beating around the bush; these two would be relentless in their search for the truth behind his behavior. Annoying, but comforting at the same time. They were his friends, after all. They cared.

O'Brien broke out in a huge grin while Data blinked thoughtfully. "I knew it!" the Irishman exclaimed gleefully. "I could tell there was something going on between you two!"

"Why does this prospect not bring you joy?" Data asked seriously, cutting right to the heart of the matter as usual.

LaForge looked down at his glass. He didn't even remember what he'd ordered, and the clear liquid gave him no clues. "Because I'm not sure that we're...right for each other," he replied in a low voice.

"In what way?" Data asked relentlessly. "Do you not share the same interests? Are your feelings not reciprocated?"

"We share plenty of the same interests," LaForge replied. His whole face lit up. "Especially engineering. I'm more of a hands-on type and she's more of a theoretical engineer, but we work well together. We complement each other." His smile evaporated as he avoided answering the second question. "I feel really comfortable around her-at least, I used to," honesty compelled him to admit. "I'm pretty sure she feels the same way."

"Geordi, I don't see what your problem is," O'Brien exclaimed in exasperation. "You enjoy each other's company, you have a lot in common-hell, you've already said so yourself! And you're not going to convince me you don't find her attractive. So what's the big deal?" He took a sip of his Guiness Stout. "If you ask me, you two were made for each other!"

"That's exactly it," LaForge said, sounding extremely frustrated. "You've put your finger right on the problem, Miles. Made for each other. The fact of the matter is, we _weren't_ made for each other. She was probably made for someone else, back at the colony. The way she was 'made' to be a physicist."

O'Brien stared at LaForge in disbelief. "Is that your problem? The fact that she's a product of genetic engineering? With all due respect, Commander, give me a break! The Eugenics War was a long time ago. Isn't it time we stopped being so paranoid about it? So she was genetically engineered. So what?" Sudden understanding dawned. "Or is it the fact that she's supposedly so perfect, and you're not?" Tact gave way to the bluntness of truth-seeking.

"You're damn right it's that," LaForge snapped. "I know how I feel about her, but I don't know how she feels about me. Or at least, how she really feels about me. What if she only thinks she loves me? What if she just loves the idea that someone like me can exist? If she only loves me because I'm different-"

"She told you she loves you?" O'Brien interrupted. LaForge nodded miserably. "And you backed off?" Another unhappy nod. The Transporter Chief shook his head in disbelief. "Geordi LaForge, forgive me for saying this, but you are a complete idiot."

LaForge blinked at the vehemence in O'Brien's voice, while Data merely stared at him inquisitively. "Listen to me," O'Brien continued intently, looking steadily at the Chief Engineer. "My Gran always told me `there's trouble enough in today without borrowing it from tomorrow, Miles'. And that's exactly what you're doing. Borrowing trouble. Why not just take it one step at a time? That's the best way to handle these things. Keiko and I have had our differences, sure, but we've managed to work them out. And if we can, anyone can." He stopped, looked at his beer and drained the glass. Then he rose to his feet and looked back down at the Chief Engineer. "That's all the advice I have in me tonight. The rest is up to you. Come on, Commander. Let this idiot think about things." He rose, waiting impatiently for Data to join him.

The android rose to his feet as well, hesitating only long enough to say, "I regret that I am unable to offer you further advice in this matter, Geordi. You are well aware of my own limitations in the area of romance. But I am certainly willing to listen, if you wish to discuss this at some future date." He and O'Brien walked away from the table, leaving a subdued Geordi LaForge to ponder their words.

LaForge dreaded the arrival of the next morning. He'd slept poorly, his mind too busy trying to sort out the day's confusing events to be able to rest. His own conflicting emotions didn't help any, and trying to analyze Hannah's was an exercise in futility his mind nonetheless insisted on attempting.

Hannah was working on her own projects today, and LaForge made certain that their paths didn't cross; it was a cowardly way to handle things, he admitted unhappily, but he didn't know what else to do. He just wasn't ready to face her. Not yet.

Was he being an idiot, as O'Brien had implied? Hell, as O'Brien had come out and said! The Transporter Chief and Data didn't understand, but then, they hadn't heard any of the discussions he and Hannah had shared the first time she was on the ship, when she'd become the first member of her colony to leave the planet, no matter how temporary a leave-taking it was initially scheduled to be. She'd been desperate to leave, desperate enough to fake damage information to try and force the entire colony to evacuate. Data and O'Brien hadn't seen that desperation. LaForge had. Now she was free, and he was still afraid, afraid that she was merely...grateful. And intrigued by his flaws. Hardly a basis for a meaningful relationship, no matter what else they might have in common.

When that stressful week finally came to an end, LaForge breathed a sigh of relief. He was off-duty for three full days, having pulled a ten-day stretch without a break. He'd managed to avoid Hannah most of the time, although he felt her absence as keenly as he had her presence. Being his second-in-command meant that her shift was usually the exact opposite of his, and she managed to avoid him the rest of the time. Except for the weekly staff meeting, of course, which hurt and relieved him at the same time. He hadn't exactly been going out of his way to search her out, either. Not that he had entirely avoided the situation; his mind kept going around in circles, chasing its own tail in a futile effort to resolve his emotional turmoil.

One thing was certain; he needed to unwind before facing his quarters tonight. And Ten-Forward was the perfect place for that.

When he arrived in the popular bar/lounge, LaForge ordered a glass of something from Guinan's assistant Rico and grabbed a seat near the main view port. He sipped his drink slowly, not even tasting it as he stared unseeingly at the spectacular view of space displayed before him. When someone tapped him on the shoulder, he nearly jumped out of his skin before turning sheepishly to see Deanna Troi smiling down at him. "May I join you?" she asked, ignoring his startled reaction.

LaForge nodded and jumped up hastily, offering Troi his chair and moving around to take one on the other side of the table. "What's up?" he asked cautiously, still slightly embarrassed by his skittish reaction. He hadn't even heard the counselor come up behind him.

Troi shrugged as she leaned her elbows on the table and studied his face intently. "Why don't you tell me?" she asked, her tone more teasing than professional.

LaForge stared at her for a moment. "What do you mean?" he finally countered.

Troi laughed unexpectedly. "This conversation is beginning to remind me of a game we used to play when I was a child," she replied, still smiling. "It was called `Questions'. Have you ever heard of it?" When LaForge shook his head no, she continued: "My father taught it to Mr. Hohm, my mother's major domo, and he taught it to me. You start by asking the other person a question. Their response has to be in the form of a question as well, and the game continues until someone asks something that can't be countered with another question. There are no repeats allowed, and no non-sequiturs; the questions have to follow a logical thread."

"Sounds complicated," LaForge commented, relaxing slightly. He was afraid she might have sought him out tonight for some informal counseling.

"It is and it isn't," Troi replied with a small shrug, leaning back in her seat. "Done properly, it can go on for quite a long time. Of course," she added, "I was at somewhat of a disadvantage back home on Betazed." LaForge cocked his head enquiringly. "My telepathy wasn't very strong except with my mother," she explained. "Everyone else could communicate their questions telepathically, where I had to vocalize. It slowed things down considerably."

"I'll bet," LaForge said, suddenly suspicious once again. This sounded uncomfortably like a story with a moral.

"Relax, Geordi," Troi said soothingly, responding to the intensification of the stress and anxiety she sensed from him. "I only came over to say hello. And," she admitted, "to try and see if what I've been hearing is true."

"That depends on what you've been hearing," LaForge countered. His guard was definitely up now.

"That something appears to be troubling you lately," the Ship's Counselor replied bluntly. "Do you want to talk about it?"

LaForge was silent for a moment longer, then shrugged and glanced at her with a half-smile. "Miles O'Brien said I'm being an idiot."

"Strong words," Troi replied carefully. "About what?"

"About my feelings for Hannah," LaForge replied after a short hesitation. After all, if he couldn't unburden himself to the Ship's Counselor, who could he talk to? He leaned forward and rested his arms on the table, clasping his hands together tightly. "Well, not actually about my feelings," he admitted. "About hers."

"In what way?" Troi asked quietly. Her dark eyes were as sympathetic as her voice, and LaForge found himself pouring all his doubts and worries into her willing ears. When he finished, she nodded consideringly and reached forward to give his hand a gentle pat. "Geordi, would you like some advice?"

He nodded. "I'm at my wit's end, Counselor; I'm beginning to think Miles was right, but I may already have messed things up too much to be able to fix them." He sighed. "I said some pretty harsh things to Hannah." Another regretful sigh, then he turned his attention back to the Counselor. "So what's your advice?"

"Talk to her," Troi replied frankly. "Let her know how you feel. Perhaps she shares some of your doubts, or did at one time."

"What if she doesn't want to talk to me?" LaForge asked despondently. "She hasn't exactly been going out of her way to spend time with me lately," he added, his self-loathing and guilt visible to even the most casual observer; to the empathic Counselor, it was doubly obvious.

"You'll never know until you try," she replied firmly, shielding herself from LaForge's emotions-once she'd gotten their flavor-out of years of practice. "I don't think you're giving Hannah enough credit." She paused, then added, "Or perhaps you're giving her a little too much credit."

"How do you mean?" LaForge asked curiously.

"No one is perfect, Geordi," Troi replied earnestly. "Not even genetically-engineered people. It would do you good to remember that." Her eyes were haunted. "Everyone makes mistakes."

LaForge nodded thoughtfully, reaching up to rub his chin as he remembered the scuttlebutt that had been going around about the counselor and the colony's leader. "You're right," he said, standing up abruptly. "And if you'll excuse me, I think there's someone I need to speak to."

The Ship's Counselor merely nodded, a serene smile crossing her lips. She watched while LaForge hurried out of Ten-Forward, then reached across the table and took a cautious sip of his abandoned drink. It was water. Rico was right; in his distracted state of mind, LaForge hadn't even noticed what he was drinking. Troi headed out of Ten-Forward as well, nodding and smiling briefly at Commander Data and Chief O'Brien, who were sitting at the bar. Mission accomplished.

_Hannah Bates, Personal Log:_

_I'm beginning to wonder if I made a mistake when I used my influence at the Engineering School on Earth to finagle my way onto the _Enterprise_. I should have realized how Geordi might react when I told him how I felt, but to be honest, it never even crossed my mind. I was just thinking about myself, and not about his feelings._ A pause and a brief sigh. _And now I may have messed things up past fixing. Either I have to get myself back __off__ the_ Enterprise_, or I have to smooth things over with Geordi somehow. If it's even worth smoothing over..._

Hannah sighed once again and rose from her bed, where she'd been sitting to dictate her log. She gazed out of the port at the breathtaking view of space-a view she never tired of-then turned back and reluctantly looked around her quarters. She continued to stand there, staring at nothing in particular, when the computer gently reminded her that she hadn't logged off, and did she perhaps have something to add? "End it," she replied, then plopped back down on the bed. The computer chirped obediently as Hannah fluffed her pillows and laid down. "Music, please," she said. "Something soothing and relaxing, something from Earth's 21st century." The era her people had first left to found their colony, hard on the heels of the aftermath of the Eugenics War, determined not to allow the narrow-minded paranoia of the general populace destroy valuable research. And equally determined that the hunger for power that had been the destruction of Khan Noonian Singh and his genetically-engineered madmen would never become part of their makeup.

Arduin's_ At Rest From Love and War_ came on as Hannah ordered the lights dimmed. "Play until your sensors tell you I'm asleep, unless I say otherwise," she ordered, not even bothering to listen to the affirmative as she slipped under the covers and closed her eyes.

An hour later, the music was still playing softly in the background, the lights were still dimmed, and Hannah was still in bed. However, her eyes were now open and the fingers of one hand were tapping impatiently on the bedcovers. "Computer, stop that damned noise," she snapped, then clarified: "End program of music." She sat up and leaned her arms on her knees. "Why do I let that man get under my skin?" she muttered, using another Data-learned colloquialism. It fit her mood perfectly; she hadn't even needed to get an explanation of that particular saying the first time she heard it.

The year she'd spent absorbing the Federation's technology-her capacity to learn astounding more than one professor-had proven to be as fascinating as she'd expected, but had also proven to her that it wasn't just the wider world she wanted to experience. Going to her quarters every night by herself had been much lonelier than she'd expected. And the occasional relationships she'd engaged in had proven to be disasters; none of the men measured up.

But measured up to who? It had taken her eight months to answer that question; after nights of worrying at it and days of contemplating it, the answer had come in the form of a communication with Geordi LaForge. They'd communicated before, but in this one, he casually mentioned that Engineer Barclay was transferring, and that LaForge was in the frustrating process of trying to get a replacement at a time when the demand for engineers was at an all-time high and the available candidates at an all-time low. She remembered thinking it would be nice to work on the _Enterprise_ again-really work on it, not just for one specific task, but to be part of the crew. And that it would be especially nice to work closely with LaForge once again.

That's when everything, what was the term, oh yes, clicked. Everything clicked. She stared at the computer screen for a full five minutes, not even hearing what LaForge was saying. No wonder no one else measured up; how could they?

It was a revelation to her; she'd never examined her emotions, not to any real depth, and the fact that she was in love startled and amazed her. She was in love, and the man she loved was out on a starship, exploring the universe, while she puttered around the inner planets of the Federation, supposedly fine-tuning her skills and knowledge. She'd already absorbed and processed the basics and well beyond the basics, so what was she waiting for? Self-discovery led to impatience. She pulled a few ropes-no, it was strings-she pulled a few strings, and voila. She was on the _Enterprise_, working with LaForge, to whom she'd finally revealed her feelings.

And, as happened so often in this frustrating, uncontrolled, unpredictable universe, nothing worked out the way she envisioned it. "Things were a lot simpler at home," she said aloud as she swung her legs over the side of the bed and sat there, moodily staring at her feet. "Why couldn't I have just stayed there like I was supposed to, married my `perfect genetic match', been content with things the way they were?" The answer, of course, was that she couldn't. Once she discovered the nature of the universe outside of her sheltered life, she could no more ignore it than she could ignore the beating of her own heart.

Nor could she ignore her feelings for LaForge-including the frustrated anger and guilt he was causing her right now.

The door chimed, interrupting her brooding thoughts and startling her momentarily. "Come," she said reflexively, not bothering to ask who it was.

Geordi LaForge stepped hesitantly into the room, as if summoned by her thoughts. Hannah stared at him disbelievingly for a moment, then turned her head away sharply. After all, she was angry with him. Wasn't she?

"Can I help you, Commander?" she asked stiffly, unable to keep her emotions out of her voice. She'd never been very good at prevaricating, and LaForge could read her like a vidtape…no, that was wrong. He could read her like a _book_.

LaForge took another step into the room, just enough for the door to decide he was staying and close with its usual sharp whisper behind him. "Can we talk?" LaForge asked after another moment's hesitation.

Hannah allowed her eyes to stray in his direction once again, and lifted her shoulder in a slight shrug. "What about?" she asked, pushing her disordered thoughts away irritably. Why did the mind tend to babble in uncomfortable situations? She turned away deliberately, to stare out of her window once more. And to covertly study his reflection in that window. He looked nervous.

"About us," LaForge replied simply.

Hannah's shoulders stiffened. "I don't believe there's an `us' to talk about," she said, her voice as stiff as her posture. "I made an error, Commander, something which you seem to be extremely good at catching me doing."

LaForge's reflection winced at that shot, and Hannah bit her lip in vexation. She hadn't meant to turn this into an accusation. "I can assure you, nothing like what happened on my first day will happen again while I'm on the _Enterprise_," she finished with a rush.

LaForge reached up to scratch his head uncomfortably. "Hannah," he began, then stopped, shook his head and folded his arms. "I'd prefer to talk to your face than to your back," he said.

She turned slowly, her owns arms crossed defensively as she leaned back against the window frame with exaggerated calm. "I've said all I have to say on the subject, Commander."

"I guess I deserve this," LaForge said, after a silent moment had passed. "I wasn't very...tactful." He touched the edge of his VISOR, then pulled his hand away sharply. "Hannah, you make me nervous," he continued after another silent moment.

"I make you nervous?" Hannah replied blankly. LaForge nodded. "How can I possibly make you nervous?" she demanded.

"By existing," LaForge replied, with a flash of his normal humor. "By being so...perfect."

The last word was spoken so low that Hannah had to strain to hear him. She looked down at her hands, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips for the first time in days. She looked back up at LaForge, allowing the smile to remain. "Geordi, I can't believe I'm hearing you say this." The smile faded as she realized he was serious. Dead serious. "Is that what this is all about?" she asked wonderingly. "Do I really seem that perfect to you?"

LaForge nodded slowly. "You don't just make me nervous; you scare me, Hannah Bates," he said bluntly. "You scare the socks off of me. I've never known anyone like you, and you caught me off-guard with that kiss. And especially with your little confession."

Hannah shrugged, feeling the smile trying to return. "I guess I was a little...impulsive," she admitted, finally allowing the smile to break free. It was only a small one, but LaForge returned it tentatively as he nodded his agreement. "But it's been on my mind for so long, I just wasn't thinking about your feelings." A pause, then: "I'm sorry. Do you think we could still be friends, start over?"

LaForge looked at her consideringly, then pursed his lips and slowly shook his head. "Not really," he replied. Hannah's eyebrows arched in surprise. LaForge moved steadily closer to her, stopping only when he stood directly in front of her. "I'd much rather we took up where we left off."

Hannah stared at him, not quite certain she'd heard him correctly. "What are you saying?" she demanded.

"That I let my fears and doubts get in the way of how I felt about you," came the soft reply. "I was so hung up on how perfect I thought you were, and how flawed I thought I was, that I convinced myself you couldn't possibly be feeling what you said you were feeling. That you'd mistaken sympathy and friendship and yes, novelty, for something deeper." It was his turn to smile. "A little arrogant presumption on my part; I thought I knew your emotions better than you did. And I thought I knew my own as well."

Hannah let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "You've been giving this a lot of thought," she finally said. LaForge nodded, slowly, deliberately. They studied each other, then Hannah brought her hands up to touch his cheeks, before reaching up to his temples and gently removing his VISOR. "Computer, darken the room, please," she ordered. The lights obediently dimmed, then went out. "Blank the port as well," she continued. A black panel slid down noiselessly, to cover the window completely.

Hannah carefully reached over to place LaForge's VISOR on the night table, then brought her hand back to rest gently on his shoulder. "There," she said, her voice satisfied. "Now we're equal." She stepped closer, felt his arms move tentatively around her waist. "As far as I'm concerned," she whispered, laying her head against his chest, "we always were."

LaForge's only response was to hold her tightly to him, then brush his lips against her hair. "My mother told me never to argue with a lady," he said, feeling her smile against his face as she brought her lips up to meet his.

**Later:**

The Engineering staff noticed a definite change in their commanding officer when he came back on duty, three days later. A change for the better. Of course, they couldn't help noticing how much more cheerful their Chief's new assistant was as well, but if they put two and two together, they were very careful not to reveal their mathematical skills to their superiors.

* * *

_A/N: Another oldie but goodie from ye olde Star Trek files. Please R&R_


End file.
